Phil outlines the Elders vision for the coming, exciting period of church life. To view Phil's slides, in PDF format, click here. ·         How big is your vision? Do you have one ?·         Do your dreams go beyond your own Church/your needs?·         If you have dreams what are you doing to turn those dreams into a reality

Who does our Father choose?When Jesus was looking for disciples he did not at first choose the obvious candidates perhaps the ones we would choose. He chose ordinary people, Matthew - a tax collector who was more like a mafia enforcer, Peter the fisherman, James and John. In Luke 9 54We see a snapshot of the wrong attitudes of man and the mercy of Jesus and the Father. “When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. So they went on to another village.”Luke 9:54-56 NLThttps://bible.com/bible/116/luk.9.54-56.NLT Then we look at Paul - the perfect Jew. Philippians 3:7-11 NLThttps://bible.com/bible/116/php.3.7-11.NLT Lizzie Henson Kermit story“Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.””1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NLThttps://bible.com/bible/116/1co.1.26-31.NLTAfter such a wonderful morning you might have many things to discuss but here are some questions as a potential focus. QuestionsRead Luke 9 v 54-56   It is easy to say “I wouldn’t be like John and James” but our society constantly acts the way they did. How do we move in the opposite spirit and be more like Jesus? Think of some examples to make it real. Read Philippians 3 1-11 Paul has much to boast about but his humility points to Christ’s work that makes our efforts at righteousness pale into insignificance before the cross of Christ. What were the things you once thought valuable but now count as loss? Sometimes just reading scripture just speaks to each one of us in different ways. I chose “How deep the Fathers love for us” based on this scripture so I suggest you play it and see how it speaks to each one of you. I like the Celtic Worship band version. I told the story of the creation of Kermit. Some of you guessed the punch line! 😂   We are not muppets but we are told we are considered the foolish things of this world. 1 Corinthians 1 v 26-31. My main point was that when we give our Father the whole of our lives with our damaged parts, unfashionable ideas, misshapen views our Father helps to shape us to be the best version of who he wants us to be but we must be open to hear from Him and to cooperate with Him.Have you ever thought of sanctification in this way? Paul doesn’t use the idea of Kermit but says we are clay in his hands. Are you still clay in his hands?What does it mean to be a fool for Christ in our day? There were so many high points to the testimonies but please pray for all the people baptised and the visitors who heard stories of a God who is personal and alive.  

John 5 Vs 1 – 18 The Healing of the man at the pool of BethesdaThree thoughts on the passage read and acted out this morning!First of all Bethesda means “house of mercy” or “house of grace” – How cool is that! This was a great place for Jesus to show mercy and grace!!Vs 6 – When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him Would you like to get well? I love the fact that the Holy Spirit revealed to Jesus that the man had been there forever (38 years) – he was the one man who needed a miracle perhaps more than anyone else! If it was not for Jesus the man would never have been healed as he himself said – “When the waters stir I cannot get there in time – someone always gets there before me!” Jesus didn’t use what was available – he could have waited until the waters stirred and thrown him in but he didn’t – he supernaturally healed him on the spot – How often do we look at what surrounds us and our circumstances and think there is no way out? Its hopeless!Remember what God challenged me about in my work situation – They have all the aces – WHO HAS ALL THE ACES -  It’s impossible – there is no way out – what is God going to do? Wait on God – he does the things we cannot even see or imagine!!Ephesians 3 vs 20 – “Now all glory to God who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think!” Vs 8 – Jesus told him Stand Up, Pick up your mat and walk This is a huge step of faith – he has been there for 38 years and not been able to walk –The Greek work here for paralysed is “XERON” which means all dried up and withered – His legs were useless!  Jesus arrives and says take up your mat and walk and he does – straight away – are we like that or do we question God with our situation and circumstances? Faith has to be exercised for the miracle to be realised – It’s the same in our lives – We have to exercise our faith and step out /step up to see what Jesus can do – don’t limit him by what you can see and the normal – we have a supernatural God that transcends the normal!!Vs 14 – Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you!The man was miraculously healed but his heart needed to be changed as well – Jesus tells him to stop sinning – we may be healed physically but there needs to be a changed heart as well – Only Jesus can do this – and this was the point that the Jewish leaders could not cope with – Who is this man that says he can forgive sins as well as do miraculous signs? They didn’t recognise who he was and were not interested in him being the Messiah – he challenged their interpretation of the law and they had no grace to give to either him or those he healed. They take no joy in the healing at all and care nothing for the man who has been healed and whose life is transformed forever – They had hard hearts and just wanted to catch Jesus out – so different from Jesus who speaks to the man who would never be healed in the natural – but Jesus comes and changes everything! Let that be your testimony – Let Jesus come into your life and change everything – This man had new legs and a new heart – you may not need new legs but you can have a new heart this morning! Ezekiel 36 vs 26+27“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart, And I will put my spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations”This was God’s promise to Israel but it is his promise today as well – he is here to take our hard hearts and soften them through Jesus.

Jenny spoke about continuing to journey with God."Desert Road" by Casting Crowns.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM3aM-bN_LM

Steve spoke at our baptism service. Cherry seeds were involved. 

To see Peter's slides (in PDF format), click here.1 Corinthians 9:24-27What are you living for?Are you prepared to take risks for God?Why are you here this morning? Our Mission Statement  “To build a church from which we will  have Multi site congregations across the Peak District” Our Purpose Statement“We exist to worship God & encounter his presence, committed to advancing his Kingdom through local church communities, caught up in mission, here, and to the nations” Where there is a lack of vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18 KJVLiteral become naked, it's embarrassing, it’s revealing What are you doing to see us attain our mission? Matthew 9:35-38 So, it's someone else's job right? Luke 10:1-4 There is an urgency to this….God will provideIt's kinda dangerous!Matthew 10:1What might we encounter as we go to the harvest field? What was the last thing you wrote a complaint letter about?What do you think of when it goes quiet, or when you are awake in the night?What exercises/agitates you the most? Matthew 10:37-39Jesus was properly serious about missionWhat is most important to you? Jonah 4:9-11How many people in Derbyshire Dales? 70,000As we gather we sit and get fat, rather than fuelling for the fight. ‘God wants us to have soft hearts and hard feet. The trouble with so many of us is that we have hard hearts and soft feet.’ Jackie Pullinger EA 2019 poll 1in 6. 2022 1 in 3 are open to the gospelThis is a missionary opportunityThat's nearly 25000 in the Dales that are receptive to hear the gospel The leaders can't do it all, the church must do it. Why do we gather?Why are you here this morning? Let worship be the fuel for mission's flameMatt Redman  Questions for GroupsWhat part is yours in the church's mission?What challenges you the most about what we have said? God's response to Jonah, or Jesus' challenge about family? And Why? - Does that mean we need to allow God to change our thinking?I’d encourage praying for one another about the difficult areas we find as we go about mission, and then to pray for much salvation. 

Ian spoke about keys.

Keith spoke about pushing through for God, reminding us that discomfort is okay, we need to use energy when we have it, we need to take care of our roots and we need to take risks. We have to set God-given goals,  be aware of and become encouragers on the way and make sure that we have and use the right equipment.For Keith's slides (in PDF format), click here.QuestionsTo what extent do you embrace discomfort in your life?What areas do you need support in?How could you take some risks for God's Kingdom?  What would that look like for you?

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:1-8‬My context for this morning is what is God like?Three questions the whole of humanity asks at some point:Is there a god? Can I know him? What is he like?The people in the world are asking questions about their existence and our Father wants people to know who he is. This is not a talk to harangue you to knock on your neighbours doors or a competition to see who has had the most conversations about Jesus this year. NO. I want to encourage you all. Very many of you are having conversations, are living your lives out waiting for the opportunities to share what God is like. People are seeking to find answers so keep on being prepared to give an answer for the hope we have in Jesus.  I have a company training day about Purpose Love God, love your neighbour, make disciples. Make it simple but not simplistic Ordinarily people are the epicentre of Gods plan and he wants people to know him. He is not remote, bleak and unknowable as many believe. That is a satanic lie. He is much much kinder than we can ever be. 1.Dad and Steve. My brother had treatment for bladder cancer 4 years ago and has since had a triple bypass. My Dad is 93 and he loves my brother and I very much. He said he would rather he had the pain than my brother. What a picture of the Father sending Jesus to pay for our sins. There is a desire for family and for our families that is very powerful and even overwhelming. 2.Have you even seen Billy Elliot. They go through all the trials of the death of the mother, the miners strike, Christmas with nothing, the dementia of the mothers mother who lives with them. But the scene that chokes me is near the end where the father and son and sitting on a low wall and they have a small play fight and fall off backwards and lie on their backs together and laugh. That is what our Heavenly Father is like. 3.You can’t hide from the way God has made you and who you come from. 4.People will search for meaning and who they are so be ready to tell them what their Father in heaven is like. 5.Long lost families. How then children ache to know who they come from. They want to introduce the new found brother, sister, mother, father to their families. What a picture of evangelism. 6.Simon Pryor. Parents never forget their children. Our Heavenly Father aches for us to find him. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.”ApplicationKnow the Fathers heart for youThere is a desire for family and for our families that is very powerful and even overwhelming. That is what our Heavenly Father is like. You can’t hide from the way God has made you and who you come from. People will search for meaning and who they are so be ready to tell them what their Father in heaven is like. Our Heavenly Father aches for us to find him. When you tell people about your faith, tell them about your Father, tell them stories of Jesus from the bible, Questions What is your image of the Father?Think of stories from the New Testament that convey the loving Father. Example the prodigal son. I used the example in Billy Elliot. How can you change the way you explain the gospel to convey the love of God to people? We are a family, think about the way people are excited to connect with long lost family members. 

God - An Intentional Father All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.Ephesians 1:3-6 NLT ·         An intentional Father ·         Some men plan to have Children·         Some have them by accident·         Some have them and then decide they don't want to be fathers after all·         Some have them but don't know how to be fathers  7 Truths from these 3 verses  1.   Even as in His love 2.   He chose us, actually picked us out for Himself as His own 3.   in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy consecrated and set apart for Him and blameless in His sight, 4.   even above reproach, before Him in love. 5.   For He foreordained us, destined us, planned in love for us to be adopted as His own children through Jesus Christ, 6.   in accordance with the purpose of His will because it pleased Him 7.   and was His kind intent Ephesians 1:4-5 AMPChttps://bible.com/bible/8/eph.1.4-5.AMPC   Questions ·         what's your relationship like with the Father? ·         do you know the love of the father and his acceptance like Jesus did? ·         What truth from the list is easy to believe and hard to believe?·         How do they affect your relationship with the Father?